Julianna Margulies bid farewell to her role of Alicia Florrick in "The Good Wife" Sunday night. (Credit: CBS)

On last-ever episode of CBS' "The Good Wife," there were twists, courtrooms antics, sudden reversals, deliberations, “sidebars,” melodrama, betrayal and that trusty plot device that has served this series so well for so long — the shocker.

‘The Good Wife’ review: Series ends with nod to past, view of future

“The Good Wife” ended a seven-season run Sunday with a wistful backward glance at Alicia Florrick’s (Julianna Margulies) past, and a bracing view of her possible future. There were also twists, courtrooms antics, sudden reversals, deliberations, “sidebars,” melodrama, betrayal and that trusty plot device that has served this series so well for so long — the shocker.

But above all, fans got what they came for: A conclusion. “The Good Wife” ended emphatically Sunday. There could be no doubt of that.

The finale didn’t wait long to turn around its biggest surprise, the return of Will Gardner — Josh Charles — who died in a courtroom shooting in Season 5. He arrived as part of an interior monologue that Alicia — who was plotting her next move in defense of Peter Florrick (Chris Noth), on trial for criminal conspiracy — conducted with herself.

“It’s really good to see you again,” she said to Will, summoned forth from some deep reserve of her memory.

“Again? Where was I,” asked Will.

But back in the real world — or at least the one where Alicia engaged the living — her colleague and friend, also “The Good Wife’s” voice of wisdom, Lucca Quinn (Cush Jumbo) asked Alicia the most urgent question, “Who do you really want to come home to?”

Because “The Good Wife” is really about the journey of a heart — just one, in fact, Alicia’s — there were effectively two options here: Peter or investigator Jason Crouse (Jeffrey Dean Morgan).

Ten million fans knew the real answer to the “who do you want to come home to” question. Will, of course, who was not exactly an option.

“I’ll love you forever,” she later told him, as the long reunion worked its way through her psyche.

“I’m OK with that,” said Will, who then told her to “go to him. It’s not too late.”

Except, perhaps that it was. Left alone in a long hallway, in the closing seconds, Alicia wiped away some tears, and braced herself for that future, whatever it will be, and with whomever (not Peter). She straightened herself, and strode forth.